365 Days Wild - Day 35 by roachling

365 Days Wild - Day 35

I went to Insect Fest in York today which was brilliant! I held a Madagascan hissing cockroach and an African rainbow millipede and there was so much information about bugs :)

Pictured is a Tansy beetle - very rare - only found along a short section of the River Ouse in York, except for an isolated sighting in the Fens last year - highly endangered. These were on a tansy plant at the festival. I probably wasn't really allowed to handle them, but I only held one for a short time, then I put it back on the plant. I might not see one again!

You can find the cockroach and millipede on the blog if you're interested, as well as further information about Insect Fest! http://louises30dayswild.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/day-35.html

https://www.buglife.org.uk/tansy-beetle-hub
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32770109
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-28680402
Cool! ... not my kinda of fest tho'! :) Butterflies would be fun!!
July 5th, 2015  
@2nutsinatree There were a few butterflies too. It was all insects. It was mainly information and conservation groups, not too many live bugs.
July 5th, 2015  
What a lovely creature, such fabulous colouring!
July 5th, 2015  
Wonderful pic!
July 6th, 2015  
Sounds like a great idea.
July 6th, 2015  
I'm always amazed at the colours the camera picks up on something so small.
July 6th, 2015  
so I guess this isn't a "Japanese beetle" that runs rampant through gardens here. They look very similar, but are not endangered...
July 6th, 2015  
@francoise oh no, this one is completely different. Only lives on Tansy plants and is only found in York, in England. It's at risk of extinction worldwide I think!
July 6th, 2015  
Love the sheen on this beetle
July 6th, 2015  
Love this pretty insect, but I would not want to touch any kind of cockroach or millipede, I'm afraid.
July 8th, 2015  
Nice to hold hands with a Tansy!
TBAG (Tansy Beetle Action Group) is working hard to restore the environment for this little gem, planting Tansy, building sheep/cattle exclusion fences, removing Himalayan Balsam etc. If you are ever in York during their active period, there is a colony in the Museum Gardens. Well worth a visit.
j
January 8th, 2017  
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